In an age where companies are starting to engage in corporate social responsibility, Hasbro has been spreading joy and improving children’s lives since the beginning. Most Hasbro employees who have spoken with me have told me that, while they love the work they do and the teams to which they belong, their favorite part about working at Hasbro are the many volunteer opportunities and Hasbro’s commitment to making a positive mark on the world.

In 2011, I was honored with the Hasbro Community Action Hero Award for founding the Gotta Have Sole foundation at 12 years old to donate brand new sneakers to homeless children throughout the United States. When I received the award, Gotta Have Sole had donated new sneakers to 1,800 homeless children in 4 states. Now, at the age of 20, I have taken Gotta Have Sole into all 50 states and we have donated new sneakers to over 92,000 children. This year, I launched a college ambassador program, in which college students deliver an empowerment curriculum program to homeless children, which our team designed to help kids succeed in school. We give children the shoes they need to get to school and the skills needed to succeed in school.

Having been the recipient of support from Hasbro, I was thrilled to have an opportunity to intern with the Global Philanthropy & Social Impact team. This internship has helped me understand that it is possible to continue making a positive impact in my professional career. I have been able to work between several internal teams, from Finance to Communications. From the first day of my internship, I started contributing to the team by researching organizations to support families separated at the border with a pop-up employee giving opportunity. Among my many experiences, my focus on Hasbro’s signature philanthropic initiative, BE FEARLESS BE KIND, has been the closest to heart, as we are promoting growing empathy in children.

As I am entering my Junior year at NYU’s Stern School of Business, this internship has been instrumental in finding my career path. The wide range of experiences gave me the necessary exposure to select courses and even switch majors from Finance to Marketing. I am so appreciative to the team for welcoming me into this family from the moment I walked through the door and affording me a meaningful internship.

Nicholas, NYU Stern School of Business

Philanthropy Intern